Applicator



M. E. FRALLIC @cito 1, 195% APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet Z Filed March 22,1951 Mney LLN EQQLL/c,

INVENTOR.

BY VMA,M

@cficq 5 1143 FRALLIQ 2,90,74?

APPLICATOR Filed March 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Maeg 54mm FQQAL/GINVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 5, 1954 STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims. 1

Occasionally a person's elbow must be treated with a salve or anointment or the like. Due to the pointed, angular nature of an elbow itis not easy to apply such an ointment in a manner to prevent it frombecoming wiped 01?. One of the objects of this invention is to providean applicator of simple construction with features of contact for theelbow to enable it to maintain an ointment or salve against ones elbow.

Another object is to provide such an applicator with means for holding apad carrying such an ointment, or a medicament in such a way that thepad will not work itself out of place when the forearm is moved more orless by bending the arm at the elbow.

Elbows are sometimes subject to callous formations, which are unsightlywhen they occur on the arms of ladies who are to appear in formal dressto attend social entertainments.

My device may be used for applying a salve or ointment to elbows such asare treated in beauty shops, or may be used by persons wishing to treattheir own elbows by using such an applicator for applying creams orother applications to the same.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification and an examination of the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to bedescribed hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efiicientapplicator.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View illustrating an elbow to which theapplicator is applied, the applicator being shown in longitudinalsection, on its major axis.

Figure 2 is a view showing the inner face of the applicator in plan.

Referring more particularly to the parts, the applicator includes aflexible body I, composed of an outer layer or piece la, and an innerpiece or layer it. The piece la is preferably elliptical with a majorand a minor axis. In the present instance these two pieces are of ovalform as indicated in Figure 2. The inner piece lb operates as a linerand these two parts are superposed and sewed together at their edges bystitching them so as to form along a portion of their periphery to forma seam 2. In practice, preferably, these two parts are substantiallyco-extensive, and are iii sewed together superposed upon each other.Afterwards they are turned inside out so as to have the seam disposedinwardly between these two parts. seam 2 does not extend completelyaround the applicators periphery, but terminates at two points located,for example, at two separated locations, such as indicated at c and d inFigure 2. The applicator is then turned right side out by reaching inand pulling the material inside out through the opening, or gap in theseam. This will bring the parts la and lb into the relation indicated inFigure 1. The gap in the stitching may then be completed by stitchingbetween these points 0 and d. This method of making any article havingan inturned seam is well known in the art of sewing, and is not part ofmy invention. These parts may be of any material, preferably fabric orother flexible material.

Towards the ends of the body I, I provide means for enabling the same tobe attached to an arm adjacent its elbow 3. Any suitable means may beemployed for this purpose, but in the present instance I prefer toprovide two elastic loops E and 55 made from two bands of elasticmaterial, the ends of which are attached by stitching 8 to the edges ofthe body at four symmetrically 10- cated points, as indicated in Figure2.

On the inner side of the liner lb, 1 provide a diaphragm l preferablyconsisting of two superposed layers including an inner layer fa and anouter layer lb that are secured together adjacent their margins bystitching 8. This diaphragm l is formed with a central aperture 9 which,in the present instance, has substantially the form or outline indicatedin Figure 2, that is to say, it is elongated along the longitudinal axisof the oval form of the applicator, presents two arcuate edges 9a and 9bthe former of which is curved on an are that conforms to the directionof curvature of the upper edge H3 of the body I as shown in Figure 2,while the are 922 below, conforms in direction of curvature to the loweredge i l of the body I.

And these edges and 9b are connected by substantially straight edges I2that are disposed at right angles to the major axis of the body l. Theedges of the aperture 9 are capable of engaging and holding a pad in theopening 9, as indi cated in Figure 1. They are preferably reinforced inany suitable manner; in the present instance this is accomplished bystitching together the juxtaposed edges of two apertures cut in thediaphragm layers la and lb to form a seam l3; and after sewing thisseam, the outer layer In other words when first formed this lb is foldedaround and over the other layer so as to place the two outer edges ofthese pieces substantially superposed before stitching them with thestitches 8.

The extreme edge [4 of the inner layer la of the diaphragm is connectedby stitching at l5 to the inner face of the liner lb; this stitching islocated at points removed from the edges of the opening 9 (see Figure1). I prefer to stitch the diaphragm in place with a waterproof innerliner I6 held in position between the edge It and the liner ib. Thiswaterproof liner I6 prevents any liquid carried in a pad H held in theaperture 9 from coming into contact with the cover member la, of thebody I. Furthermore, the diaphragm is waterproof, that is to say its twosections 1a and lb are also formed of waterproof material. In otherwords, the liner [6 and the diaphragm l are preferably made of a thinwaterproof material such as sheet plastic. If desired, these parts maybe made of thin elastic sheet material.

The diaphragm i and the waterproof liner l6 are preferably of angularform and in the present instance are of square form as illustrated inFigure 2. The dotted lines 3 and i5 indicate the approximate location ofthe stitches that secure the diaphragm and the waterproof liner IE tothe inner side of the body 5.

ihere is some advantage in having the diaphragm of angular form becausewhen a pad such as the pad l? is inserted in the aperture 9 its ends,located as they are, adjacent the angles 58 and it formed by thestitches 8, assist in holding the pad against shifting. The paralleledges 32 also assist in preventin the pad from shifting.

In using the applicator, the pad ll should be inserted in the apertureand should be slightly larger than the aperture soas to enable it toproject somewhat beyond the edges of the aperture at the back and theforward sides thereof, and this, of course, assists in holding the padin position. After putting the pad in place its inner face should betreated with the solution or salve or other medicament that is desirableto use. After which the applicator is slipped over the wrist and slid upthe fore-arm to the elbow, where it is adjusted into position asindicated in Figure 1.

It will be evident that the space between the diaphragm and the liner isbounded by the stitches 8 forms a pocket that may function to retain apad of soft absorbent material without using the extreme edge of theaperture as indicated in Figure l to accomplish this.

While I prefer to employ the shapes illustrated for the body I and thediaphragm and the liner i 5, it is obvious that other shapes for theseparts may be employed in practicin this invention. Also, other meansthan that illustrated may be employed for securing the applicator inposition at the elbow. And any kind of material may be employed for theouter layer la and the inner layer lb of the body I.

When the applicator is in place at the elbow the bands 4 and 5 hold itwith the major axis of the aperture extending substantially in the planein which the fore arm and the upper arm lie.

Many other embodiments of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the kind described, to be attached to ones arm at theelbow to retain a pad, the combination of a fiexible body havin meansfor encircling the arm above the elbow and below the elbow, and adiaphragm attached on the inner side of said body having an aperturetherein with ed es operating to retain the pad, and holding the same incontact with the elbow.

2. A device of the kind described according to claim 1, including awaterproof liner connected to the diaphragm and located between thediaphragm and the inner face of said body.

3. A device to be used as an applicator for an elbow joint or the like,comprising the combination of a body of substantially oval form, capableof enveloping the joint, and a diaphragm on the inner side of said body,having an aperture therein, said diaphragm attached to said body atpoints removed outwardly from the edge of said aperture so as to form aretaining pocket back of the diaphragm for holding a pad between thediaphragm and said body, and elastic loops attached to said bodyrespectively toward the ends thereof for securing the same to oneselbow.

4. An applicator for treating a person's elbow with a medicament, saidapplicator having a flexible body elongated along a major axis, andhaving loops adjacent its end portions for encircling the personsforearm and upper arm respectively, a waterproof liner and a diaphragmsecured to the inner side of said body with the liner between the body.and the diaphragm, said diaphragm having an aperture therein elongatedlongitudi nally of the said major axis; said loops operating to securethe applicator to the elbow with the longitudinal axis of the apertureextending substantially in the plane in which the forearm and the upperarm lie.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,067,841 Bfeil July 22, 1913 2,069,643 Burke Feb. 2, 19372,140,598 Rhorer Dec. 20, 1938

